Setting means for use with safety ski bindings

ABSTRACT

The setting means serve to adjust a binding element on a ski in the longitudinal direction thereof. The binding element comprises a slidable plate, which is guided on a baseplate fixed to the ski and is movable relative to the baseplate by means of a power screw. The nut cooperating with the power screw is provided with a series of half-threads and is held on the screw to be adjustable at least to such an extent in the direction of the mid-perpendicular on the chord which connects the ends of the series of half-threads that the nut can be disengaged from the threads of the power screw.

v United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,733,083 Berchtold 1 1 May 15, 11.973

[54] SETTING MEANS FOR USE WITH [56] References Cited SAFETY SKI BINDINGS UNITED STATES PATENTS lnvemorl Ludwig Berchwld, 3033 Krailling, 3,477,736 ll/l969 Ungcr ..2s0 11.35 R

Germany [73] Assignee: Hannes Marker, Garmisch-Parten- Primary Examiflerwkichardj'19mm" kitchen, Germany Assistant Examiner-Reinhard Elsenzopf Attorney- Fleit, Gipple 8L Jacobson [22] Filed: July 7, 1971 [57} ABSTRACT v [21] Appl 16o355 The setting means serve to adjust a binding element on a ski in the longitudinal direction thereof. The 30 Foreign Application priority Data binding element comprises a slidable plate, which is guided on a baseplate fixed to the ski and is movable July 28, Germany relative the baseplate means of a power screw 7 The nut cooperating with the power screw is provided [52] US. Cl. ..280/11.35 R ith a erie ofhalf-threads and is held on the screw [51] Int. Cl ..A63c 9/00 to be adjustable at least to such an extent i the 58 Field of Search ..2s0/11.35 R 11.35 c directim Ofhe mid-Perpendicular the whih connects the ends of the series of half-threads that the nut can be disengaged from the threads of the power screw.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED HAY 1 51973 SHEET 1 OF 3 JNVENTUR;

L g Bevel: 0U

PATENTEDHAY 1 51975 SHEET 2 [1F 3 SETTING MEANS FOR USE WITH SAFETY SKI BINDINGS This invention relates to setting means for use with safety ski bindings and for adjusting a binding element on a ski in the longitudinal direction thereof, said binding element comprising a slidable plate,.which is guided on a baseplate fixed to the ski and is movable relative to the baseplate by means of a power screw.

In comparison with other setting means, in which the binding element is adapted to be fixed to the ski in different positions by means of a rack and a toothed locking plate, the known settingmeans described first hereinbefore have the advantage of permitting of an infinitely variable setting. This is particularly desirable or even required with ski binding systems which are responsive to contact pressure. On the other hand, these setting means have the important disadvantage that the adjustment of binding elements through large distances, as is often desired, e.g., with skis for rent, requires a very long time, which is often not available during rush hours in the renting business.

It is an object of the present invention so to improve and design setting means of the type described first hereinbefore that the disadvantages of these known setting means are eliminated whereas their advantages over other known setting means, namely, the infinite variation of the setting, is retained.

In setting means for use with safety ski bindings and for adjusting a binding element on a ski in the longitudinal direction thereof, said binding element comprising a slidable plate, which is guided on a baseplate fixed to the ski and is movable relative to the baseplate by a power screw, the object set forth is accomplished according to the invention in that the nut cooperating with the power screw is provided with a series of halfthreads and is held on the screw to be adjustable at least to such an extent in the direction of the midperpendicular on the chordwhich connects the ends of the series of half-threads that the nut can be disengaged from the threads of the power screw. This arrangement enables coarse and fine adjustments so that the binding element can be adjusted in a fast and exact manner in view of the size and position of the skiing boot and in view of the snow and terrain conditions. If the series of half-threads of the nut is disengaged from the threads of the power screw in that the nut is displaced radially of the screw, the binding element can be displaced freely on its baseplate fixed to theski whereas when the threads of the nut are engaged, a rotation of the power screw will enable an exact fine adjustment.

In a development of the invention it'has proved desirable to provide the nut with a slot which is provided at one end with the series of half-threads. As a result, the nut can never completely. separate from the screw.

To ensure that the threads of the nut automatically interengage with the threadsof the screw after a coarse adjustment, a spring is suitably provided'which tends to hold the nut in threaded engagement with the screw. Alternatively, the nut may be held on the screw by a set screw, which is rotatably and axially non-displaceably mounted in the slidable plate.

Depending on the design requirements, the nut may be displaceable in a plane which is at right angles to the surface of the ski or in a plane which is parallel to the surface of the ski.

To prevent a lifting of the nut from the screw as a result of the pressure of the screw threads during a fine adjustment, it has proved desirable to provide the threads on the screw and the series of half-threads of the nut in the form of square threads.

Two embodiments of the invention will be described fully and by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing two setting means which are mounted on a ski and to which binding elements are secured, which are known in practice and serve to grip a skiing boot in position.

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal section view showing the setting means for the forward binding element.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the setting means of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing the setting means for the rear binding element.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line V-V in FIG. 4 and showing the setting means.

FIG. 1 is a general view showing the two embodiments 1 and 2 of the setting means mounted on a ski 3. The setting means I carry a known toe iron 4, which is commercially available, whereas a known heel tightener 5, which is also commercially available, is secured to the setting means 2. The two binding elements 4 and 5 are not shown in more detail and indicated only by dash-dot lines because their design is not significant for the present invention. The toe iron 4 and the heel tightener 5 grip in known manner a skiing boot 6 in position on the ski 3. The skiing boot 6 is also indicated only in dash-dot lines.

The setting means 1 for the toe iron 4 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprises a baseplate 7, which is adapted to be fixed to the ski in the manner shown in FIG. 1 by screws and is provided for this purpose with two screw holes 8. The baseplate 7 is formed in its intermediate portion with an aperture, which is defined at its forward end by a web 9, which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski. The sides of the aperture 10 extend in the longitudinal direction of the ski and consist of slideways, which comprise each a portion 11, which extends parallel to the surface of the ski and over a respective offset edge por tion 12 of a slidable plate 13, which is disposed in the aperture 10. A vertical pivot pin 14 is secured to the slidable plate 13 and provided at its top end portion with screw threads, to which a toe iron 4 is adapted to be threaded, for instance.

A power screw 15 extends in the longitudinal direction of the ski and is rotatably and axially nondisplaceably mounted in the web 9 of the baseplate 7. For this reason, the screw 15 is formed with an annular groove 16, which receives two pins 17, which are driven into the baseplate 7. The forward end 18 of the power screw 15 is provided with a slot 19, which is engageable by an actuating tool, e.g., a screwdriver.

The threaded portion of the screw 15 is received in a bore 20 (see particularly FIG. 2) of the slidable plate 13. A nut 21 extends radially through said bore and is non-rotatably held in the slidable plate 13 but vertically movable therein. The nut 21 has a vertical slot 22 (see FIG. 2), through which the screw extends. The lower end of the slot 22 is provided with a series of halfof the nut against the screw 15. The portion 25 of the nut 21 consists of a push-button for vertically moving the nut 21.

The operation of the setting device is fast and simple. Pressure is applied to the portion 25 of the nut 21, e.g., by hand, so that the nut is displaced radially to the screw and the threads disengage. The slidable plate 13 is now freely slidable along the guides 11 of the baseplate 7 so that the toe iron is moved at least approximately to the desired position on the ski. When the upper portion of the nut is released, the helical compression springs 24 urge the nut 21 again into threaded engagement with the screw. By means of a tool which is inserted into the slot 19 of the screw, the latter can be rotated for an infinite, exact adjustment of the toe iron to the desired position or to provide for the required contact pressure.

The setting means 2 for the heel tightener 5 are shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5 and are similar in design to the just described setting means 1 for the toe iron 4. A baseplate is adapted to be screwconnected to the ski and for this purpose comprises four screw holes 31 (see FIG. 4) and is also formed with an aperture in its intermediate portion. The aperture 32 extends in the longitudinal direction of the ski and contains a screw 33, which is rotatably and axially non-displaceably mounted on the baseplate 30. One end 34 of the screw 33 extends toward the rear end of the ski beyond the mounting means on the ba seplate 30 and is provided with a slot 35 for receiving an actuating tool.

The baseplate 30 has side edges 36, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the ski and are angled upwardly and laterally outwardly and serve as guiding and retaining surfaces. A U-shaped member 37 extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski and is slidably held on the baseplate 30. The limbs 38 of the U-shaped member extend vertically upwardly. Four downwardly and inwardly folded lugs 39 of the U- shaped member 37 extend under the angled edges 36 of the baseplate 30 and prevent a lifting of the U- shaped member 37. The tension elements of a heel tightener, e.g., of the heel tightener 2 shown in FIG. 1, may be secured to the vertical limbs 38 of the U-shaped member 37. For this purpose, each limb is provided with a bore 40 (see FIG. 5).

A square nut 41 is screw-threaded to the screw 33 and with its top portion extends into a slot 42, which is formed in the U-shaped member 37 and extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski. This nut serves as a coupling element for the U-shaped member. The lower end of the square nut bears on the surface of the ski within the aperture 32 of the baseplate 30 when the latter is mounted on the ski so that the nut is held against rotation relative to the baseplate 30 and to the U-shaped member 37. The nut receives the screw 33 in a slot 43, which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and which at that end which normally engages the screw 33 is provided with a series of half-threads 44. This engagement of the nut 41 with the screw 33 is ensured by a helical compression spring 45, which bears at one end on a recessed surface 46 of the nut and at the other end on a downwardly angled lug 47 of the U-shaped member 37. The width of the aperture 32 in the baseplate 30 and the length of the aperture 42 in the U-shaped member 37 are so large that the nut can be moved on the screw 33 against the force of the spring 45 until the threads of the screw and the half-threads of the nut are disengaged. This displacement is enabled by means of a tool, e.g., by means of a screwdriver, when the tip thereof is engaged with a notch 48 in the top surface of the nut.

These setting means for the heel tightener have basically the same mode of operation as the setting means first described. When the nut 41 is disengaged from the threads of the screw 33 as described, the U-shaped member 37 is freely movable along the baseplate 30. When the nut is in normal position, a stepless fine adjustment of the U-shaped member can be effected by a rotation of the screw so that the contact pressure between the skiing boot and the toe iron can be exactly adjusted.

To prevent a disengagement of the nut from the screw by the pressure of the threads during a fine adjustment, the screw threads and the series of halfthreads of the nut consist of square threads in both illustrated embodiments of the setting means.

It is emphasized that the setting means according to the invention may be used with virtually all known elements of safety ski bindings.

What is claimed is:

1. Setting means for use with safety ski bindings and for adjusting a binding element on a ski in the longitudinal direction thereof, said binding element comprising a baseplate adapted to be fixed to the ski, a slidable plate slidably mounted on said baseplate, a power screw cooperating with said slidable plate for moving said slidable plate relative to said baseplate, a nut having a series of half-threads cooperating with said power screw, and means for holding the half-threads of said nut in threaded engagement with the threads of said power screw, said means allowing the half-threads of said nut to be disengaged from the threads of said power screw during said adjustment of said binding element.

2. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said nut has a slot provided at one end with said series of half-threads.

3. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said means for holding the half-threads of said nut in threaded engagement with the threads of said screw comprises a spring.

4. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said means for holding the half-threads of said nut in threaded engagement with the threads of said screw comprises means which are non-rotatably and longitudinally non-displaceably mounted on said slidable plate.

5. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said nut is slidably mounted in a plane extending at right angles to the surface of the ski.

6. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said nut is slidably mounted in a plane which is parallel to the surface of the ski.

7. Setting means according to claim 1, in which the threads of said screw and the series of half-threads of said nut consist of square threads. 

1. Setting means for use with safety ski bindings and for adjusting a binding element on a ski in the longitudinal direction thereof, said binding element comprising a baseplate adapted to be fixed to the ski, a slidable plate slidably mounted on said baseplate, a power screw cooperating with said slidable plate for moving said slidable plate relative to said baseplate, a nut having a series of half-threads cooperating with said power screw, and means for holding the half-threads of said nut in threaded engagement with the threads of said power screw, said means allowing the half-threads of said nut to be disengaged from the threads of said power screw during said adjustment of said binding element.
 2. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said nut has a slot provided at one end with said series of half-threads.
 3. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said means for holding the half-threads of said nut in threaded engagement with the threads of said screw comprises a spring.
 4. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said means for holding the half-threads of said nut in threaded engagement with the threads of said screw comprises means which are non-rotatably and longitudinally non-displaceably mounted on said slidable plate.
 5. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said nut is slidably mounted in a plane extending at right angles to the surface of the ski.
 6. Setting means according to claim 1, in which said nut is slidably mounted in a plane which is parallel to the surface of the ski.
 7. Setting means according to claim 1, in which the threads of said screw and the series of half-threads of said nut consist of square threads. 